of but the sorrow of the world worketh death For behold this self-same thing that ye sorrowed after a godly sort what carefulness it wrought in you yea what clearing of your selves yea what indignation yea what fear yea what vehement desire yea what zeal yea what revenge In all things ye have approved your selves to be clear in this matter Tenthly If the sick person needs or desires instruction how to demean himself in his sickness such Scriptures will be useful as direct us to 1. Contrition for sin Job 42.2 5 6. I know that thou canst do any thing and that no thought can be withheld from thee I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear but now mine eye seeth thee Wherefore I abhor my self and repent in dust and ashes Psal 19.12 Who can tell how oft he offends O cleanse thou me from my secret faults Psal 32.1 c. Blessed is the man whose unrighteousness is forgiven and whose sin is covered Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth no sin and in whose spirit there is no guile I will acknowledg my sin unto thee and mine unrighteousnes have I not hid Psal 34.17 The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a contrite heart and will save such as be of an humble spirit Psal 38.1 c. Put me not to rebuke O Lord in thine anger neither chasten me in thy heavy displeasure For thine arrows stick fast in me and thy hand presseth me sore There is no health in my flesh because of thy displeasure neither is there any rest in my bones by reason of my sin For my wickednesses are gone over my head and are like a sore burden too heavy for me to bear I truly am set in the plague and my heaviness is ever in my sight For I will confess my wickedness and be sorry for my sin Hos 7.2 They consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness Jam. 3.2 In many things we offend all 2. Humility and Patience in affliction 2 Sam. 15.25 26. And the King David said unto Zadok carry back the Ark of God into the City if I shall find favour in the eyes of the Lord he will bring me again and shew me both it and his habitation But if he thus say I have no delight in thee behold here am I let him do to me as seemeth good unto him Job 2.10 What shall we receive good at the hand of God and shall we not receive evil In all this did not Job sin with his lips Chap. 34.31 32. Surely it is meet to be said unto God I have born chastisement I will not offend any more That which I see not teach thou me If I have done iniquity I will do no more Psal 27.16 O tarry thou the Lords leasure be strong and he shall comfort thy heart and put thou thy trust in the Lord. Lam. 3.25 26. The Lord is good unto them that wait for him to the soul that seeketh him It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. Mic. 7.9 I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him Luke 21.19 In your patience possess your souls Heb. 12.7 If ye endure chastening God dealeth with you as with sons Jam. 1.2 3 4. Count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations knowing this that the trying of your faith worketh patience But let patience have her perfect work that ye may be perfect and entire wanting nothing 1 Pet. 5.6 Humble your selves under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you in due time 3. Reliance upon God Deut. 33.26 There is none like unto the God of Jesurun Vers 27. The Eternal God is thy refuge Vers 29. Happy art thou O Israel who is like unto thee O People saved by the Lord the shield of thy help and who is the sword of thy excellency 1 Sam. 12.22 The Lord will not forsake his People for his great Names sake because it hath pleased the Lord to make you his People 2 Chron. 16.9 The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect towards him Job 13.15 Though he slay me yet will I trust in him Psal 5.13 Thou Lord wilt give thy blessing unto the righteous and with thy favourable kindness wilt thou defend him as with a shield Psal 9.10 They that know thy Name will put their trust in thee for thou Lord hast never failed them that seek thee Psal 22.10 I have been left unto thee ever since I was born thou art my God even from my mothers womb Psal 23.4 Though I walk in the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for thou art with me Psal 33.17 Behold the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him and upon them that put their trust in his mercy Psal 37.40 The salvation of the righteous cometh of the Lord which is also their strength in the time of trouble Psal 62.1 My soul truly waiteth still upon God for of him cometh my salvation Isa 30.15 Thus saith the Lord God the Holy One of Israel In returning and rest shall ye be saved in quietness and confidence shall be your strength Lam. 3.25 26. The Lord is good unto them that wait for him to the soul that seeketh him It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. 4. The Benefit and Comfort of Prayer Isa 26.8 9. In the way of thy judgments O Lord have we waited for thee the desire of our soul is to thy Name and to the remembrance of thee With my soul have I desired thee in the night yea with my spirit within me will I seek thee early for when thy judgments are in the earth the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness Job 42.10 The Lord turned the captivity of Job when he prayed for his friends Psal 50.15 Call upon me in the time of trouble So will I hear thee and thou shalt praise me Psal 55.17 18. As for me I will call upon God and the Lord shall save me In the evening and morning and at noon day I will pray and that instantly and he shall hear my voice Psal 65.2 3. Thou that hearest prayer unto thee shall all flesh come My misdeeds prevail against me O be thou merciful unto our sins Psal 69.13 c. Lord I make my prayer to thee in an acceptable time Hear me O God in the multitude of thy mercy even in the truth of thy salvation Take me out of the mire that I sink not Oh let me be delivered from them that hate me and out of the deep waters Let not the deep flood drown me neither let the deep swallow me up and let not the Pit shut her mouth upon me Hear me O Lord for thy loving kindness is comfortable turn thee unto me according to
Ephraim to go taking them by the Arms but they knew not that I heal'd them I drew them with cords of a man with bands of love Jonah 4. Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish for I knew that thou art a gracious God and merciful slow to anger and of great kindness and repentest thee of the evil Mic. 7.18 19. Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage He retaineth not his anger for ever because he delighteth in mercy He will turn again he will have compassion upon us he will subdue our iniquities and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depth of the Sea Malac. 3.6 I am the Lord I change not therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed Eph. 2.4 5. God who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us even when we were dead in sins and trespasses hath quickned us together with Christ by grace ye are saved And hath raised us up together and made us sit together in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus Secondly His incomprehensible love declared in giving his Son to dye for the sin of the World Isa 52.9 10. Break forth into joy sing together ye wast places of Jerusalem for the Lord hath comforted his People he hath redeemed Jerusalem The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all Nations and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God Chap. 53.4 5 6. Surely he hath born our griefs and carried our sorrows yet we did esteem him stricken smitten of God and afflicted But he was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed All we like sheep have gone astray we have turned every one to his own way and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all Chap. 55.1 3. Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters and he that hath no money come ye buy and eat yea come buy wine and milk without money and without price Incline your ear and come unto me hear and your soul shall live and I will make an everlasting covenant with you even the sure mercies of David Chap. 61.1 2 3. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to them that are bound To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord and the day of vengeance of our God to comfort all that mourn To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion to give unto them beauty for ashes the oyl of joy for mourning the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness that they might be called trees of righteousness the planting of the Lord that he might be glorified Ezek. 34.22 23 24 25. I will save my flock and they shall be no more a prey And I will set up one shepherd over them and he shall feed them even my servant David he shall feed them and he shall be their shepherd And I the Lord will be their God and my servant David a Prince amongst them I the Lord have spoken it And I will make with them a covenant of peace Malac. 4.2 Unto you that fear my Name shall the Son of righteousness arise with healing in his wings and ye shall go forth and grow up as Calves of the stall Luke 1.76 77 78 79. Thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways To give knowledg of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins through the tender mercy of our God whereby the day-spring from on high hath visited us To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death to guide our feet into the way of peace Chap. 4.17 18 19 21 And when he Jesus had opened the Book he found the place where i◠was written The Spirit of the Lord 〈◊〉 upon me And he began to sa◠unto them this day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears Joh 1.29 John seeth Jesus comin◠unto him and saith Behold th◠Lamb of God which taketh awa◠the sin of the World Chap. 3.16 17. God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Chap. 15.13 Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his Friends Act 10.43 To him give all the Prophets witness that through his Name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins Rom. 3.23 24 25. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God being justified freely by his grace through the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ whom God hath set forth to be a Propitiation through faith in his blood Rom. 5.8 9. God commendeth his love towards us in that whilest we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us Much more then being now justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath through him 1 Joh. 2.1 2. If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous And he is the propitiation for our sins Rev. 5.9 And the Elders sung a new song saying Thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof for thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and people and tongue and Nation Thirdly His faithfulness in keeping his promise Isa 49.15 16. Can a woman forget her sucking Child that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb yea they may forget yet will I not forget thee Behold I have graven thee on the palms of my hands thy walls are before me continually Jer. 33.20 21. Thus saith the Lord if you can break my covenant of the day and my covenant of the night and that there should not be day and night in their season Then may also my covenant be broken with David my servant that he should not have a son to reign upon his throne Joh. 10.28 29. I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand My Father which gave them me is greater than all And no man is able to pluck them out of my Fathers hand 1 Cor. 1.9 God is faithful by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his son Jesus Christ our Lord. 2 Cor. 1.21 22. He which stablisheth us with you in Christ and hath anointed is God Who hath also sealed us and given us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts 2 Tim. 2.19 The foundation of God standeth sure having this seal the Lord knoweth them that are his Heb. 6.17 18. God willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel confirmed it by an Oath That by
grave in peace neither shall thine eyes see all the evil that I will bring upon this place and upon the inhabitants of the same Isa 26.20 Come my People enter thou into thy Chambers and shut thy doors about thee hide thy self as it were for a little moment until the indignation be overpast Chap. 57.1 2. The righteous perisheth and no man layeth it to heart and merciful men are taken away none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come He shall enter into peace they shall rest in their beds each one walking in his uprightness Rom. 14.8 Whether we live we live unto the Lord or whether we dye we dye unto the Lord whether we live therefore or dye we are the Lords Rev. 14.13 I heard a voice from Heaven saying unto me write blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord from henceforth yea saith the spirit that they may rest from their labours and their works follow them 4. The Joys to be revealed hereafter Psal 16.9 12. I have set God always before me for he is on my right hand therefore I shall not fall Thou shalt shew me the path of life in thy presence is the fulness of joy and at thy right hand there is pleasure for evermore Psal 36.8 9. They shall be satisfied with the plenteousness of thy house and thou shalt give them drink of thy pleasures as out of the river For with thee is the well of life and in thy light shall we see light Isa 51.11 The redeemed of the Lord shall return and come with singing unto Zion and everlasting joy shall be upon their heads they shall obtain gladness and joy and sorrow and mourning shall flee away Chap. 64.4 Since the beginning of the World men have not heard nor perceived by the ear neither hath the eye seen O God besides thee what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him Dan. 12.1 3. At that time thy people shall be delivered every one that shall be found written in the book And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever Mat. 25.23 His Lord said unto him well done good and faithful servant thou hast been faithful over a few things I will make thee Ruler over many things enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. Luke 16.25 Abraham said son remember that thou in thy life-time receivedst thy good things and likewise Lazarus evil things but now he is comforted and thou art tormented Joh. 17.24 Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me Phil. 1.21 23. To me to live is Christ and to dye is gain I am in a strait betwixt two having a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better Rev. 7.9 After this I beheld and lo a great multitude which no man could number of all nations and kindreds and people and tongues stood before the Throne and before the Lamb clothed with white robes and palmes in their hands And cryed with a loud voice saying salvation to our God which sitteth upon the Throne and unto the Lamb. 5. The presence of God with his hildren in all conditions Psal 41.3 The Lord comfort him when he lieth sick upon his bed make thou all his bed in his sickness Isa 41.10 Fear thou not for I am with thee be not dismayed for I am thy God I will strengthen thee yea I will help thee yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness Chap. 43.1 2 3. Fear not I have redeemed thee I have called thee by thy name thou art mine When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee and through the rivers they shall not overflow thee when thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle upon thee For I am the Lord thy God the holy one of Israel thy Saviour Rev. 3.10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience I will also keep thee from the hour of temptation Sixthly That such spiritual remedies may do good the Minister must endeavour to understand and consider from whence that unwillingness to die proceeds and to the several causes thereof his applications of Scripture must be suitable If 1. It be from that aversation which every Creature naturally hath to dissolution the best men have not been altogether free from that fear Joh. 21.18 19. When thou wast young thou girdest thy self and walkest whither thou wouldest but when thou shalt be old thou shalt stretch forth thy hands and another shall gird thee and carry thee whither thou wouldest not This spake he signifying by what death he should glorify God To this must be opposed 1. The conquest of Death by Christ Heb 2.14 15. Forasmuch as the Children are partakers of flesh and blood he also himself likewise took part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devil And deliver them who through fear of death were all their life-time subject to bondage 1 Cor. 15.56 57. The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the Law But thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ Vers 58. Therefore my beloved brethren be ye stedfast unmoveable always abounding in the work of the Lord forasmuch as you know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. 2. The pattern of a true Christian temper of mind 2 Cor. 5.1 c. We know that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle were dissolved we have a building with God an house not made with hands eternal in the Heavens For in this we groan earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from Heaven For we that are in this Tabernacle do groan being burdened not for that we would be unclothed but clothed upon that mortality might be swallowed up of life Now he that hath wrought us for the self-same thing is God who hath also given unto us the earnest of the spirit Therefore we are always confident knowing that whil'st we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord For we walk by faith not by sight we are confident I say and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. Secondly If from love of this World The vanity of all earthly things and the danger of such love of the World must be considered Eccl. 2.4 c. I made me great works I builded me houses I planted me vineyards I made me gardens and orchards and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits I made me pools of water to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees I got me servants and maidens and had servants born in my house also I had great possessions of great
that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the Devil For we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against Principalities against powers against the rulers of the darkness of this world against spiritual wickedness in high places Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day and having done all to stand 2 Tim. 3.12 All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution 2. The complaints of holy men Job 3.25 26. The thing which I greatly feared is fallen upon me and that which I was afraid of is come unto me I was not in safety neither had I rest neither was I quiet yet trouble came Chap. 6.4 The arrows of the Almighty are within me the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit the terrours of God do set themselves in array against me Psal 77.7 8 9. Will the Lord absent himself for ever and will he be no more entreated Is his mercy clean gone for ever and is his promise come utterly to an end for evermore Hath God forgotten to be gracious and will he shut up his loving kindness in displeasure Psal 88.6 Thine indignation lieth hard upon me and thou hast vexed me with thy stormes Vers 15. I am in misery and like unto him that is at the point to dye even from my youth up thy terrours have I suffered with a troubled mind Jer. 15.17 18. I sate alone because of thy hand for thou hast filled me with indignation Why is my pain perpetual and my wound incurable which refuseth to be healed 2 Cor. 12.7 c. Lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the Revelations there was given to me a thorn in the flesh the messenger of Satan to busset me lest I should be exalted above measure For this thing I besought the Lord thrice that it might depart from me And he said unto me my grace is sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect in weakness 3. The return of the light of Gods countennance Psal 30.5 His wrath endureth but the twinkling of an eye in his pleasure is life heaviness may endure for a night but joy cometh in the morning Vers 12. Thou hast turned my heaviness into joy thou hast put off my sackcloth and girded me with gladness Psal 71 18. O what great troubles and adversities hast thou shewed me and yet didst thou turn and refresh me yea and broughtest me from the depth of the earth again Jer. 29.11 I know the thoughts that I think towards you saith the Lord thoughts of peace and not of evil to give you an expected end Micah 7.8 Rejoyce not against me O mine enemy when I fall I shall arise when I sit in darkness the Lord shall be a light unto me Job 14.27 Peace I leave with you my peace I give unto you not as the world giveth give I unto you let not your heart be troubled neither let it be afraid 4. The practice of Holy men in like Cases Psal 42.6 7. Why art thou so full of heaviness O my soul and why art thou so disquieted within me Put thy trust in God for I will yet give him thanks for the help of his countenance Psal 119.52 I remembred thine everlasting judgments O Lord and received comfort Psal 14.3 Hear my Prayer O Lord c. Acts. 12.5 Peter therefore was kept in prison but prayer was made without ceasing of the Church unto God for him Jam. 5.13 Is any among you afflicted let him pray 5. Promises of deliverance Job 5.17 18 19. Happy is the man whom God correcteth therefore despise not thou the chastning of the Almighty For he maketh sore and bindeth up he woundeth and his hands make whole He shall deliver thee in six troubles yea in seven there shall no evil touch thee Psal 34.18 Great are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord delivereth them out of all Jer. 15.11 Verily I will cause the enemy to treat thee well in the time of evil and in the time of affliction Chap. 39.16 18. Go and speak to Ebed-melech the Ethiopian saying I will surely deliver thee and thou shalt not fall by the sword but thy life shall be for a prey unto thee because thou hast put thy trust in me saith the Lord. Joel 2.32 And it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call on the Name of the Lord shall be delivered for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance as the Lord hath said and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call Zeph. 3.14 17. Sing O daughter of Zion shout O Israel be glad and daughter of Jerusalem The Lord thy God in the middest of thee is mighty he will save he will rejoyce over thee with joy he will rest in his love he will joy over thee with singing Vers 19. Behold at that time I will undo all that afflict thee I will save her that halteth and gather her that was driven out and I will get them praise and fame in every land where they have been put to shame 2 Pet. 2.9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations 5. Endeavours of strengthning our Faith I Sam. 30.6 And David was greatly distressed for the people spake of stoning him because the soul of all the people was grieved every man for his sons and for his daughters but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God Psal 56.2 3. Mine enemies are dayly in hand to swallow me up for they be many that fight against me O thou most high Nevertheless though I am sometimes afraid yet put I my trust in thee Psal 146.2 to the end O put not your trust in Princes c. Prov. 3.5 6. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not to thine own understanding In all thy ways acknowledg him and he shall direct thy path Isa 12.2 Behold God is my salvation I will trust and not be afraid for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song he also is become my salvation Mic. 2.7 O thou that art named the house of Jacob is the spirit of the Lord straitned are these his doings do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly Hab. 2.4 The just shall live by faith Chap. 3.17 18. Although the Fig-tree shall not blossom neither shall fruit be in the vine the labour of the Olive shall fail and the field shall yield no meat the flock shall be cut off from the fold and there shall be no herd in the stalls Yet will I rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my salvation Mark 5.25 27 28 29. A certain woman which had an issue of blood twelve years when she heard of Jesus came in the press behind and touched his garment For she said if I may but touch his clothes I shall be whole And straitway the fountain of her blood was dryed up and she felt in her body that she was healed of